WTOP: 5 ways nonprofits can…
Client Demographics
Nonprofit HR Practice Area: Impact Search Advisors by Nonprofit HR
Location: New York and Washington, D.C.
Sector: Nonprofit
Mission Type: Research and Policy NGO
Staff Size: 151 – 205 Employees
Annual Budget: $10.1 – $20 million
Type of Engagement: Recruitment Outsourcing — Professional Search
Engagement ScenarioA research and educational organization enlisted Impact Search Advisors by Nonprofit HR for the full-cycle recruitment of several staff positions. The NGO suffered from high turnover within the federal team, shifting priorities and leadership fluctuations. Upon meeting with the hiring team and learning about their constant state of change and transition, Nonprofit HR’s Recruitment Outsourcing experts adjusted the engagement scope to fill two Senior Policy Associates on the federal policy team.
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Search Duration: Ongoing
Engagement Details
Nonprofit HR began recruiting for the two Federal Senior Policy roles in the spring of 2022 and filled both by July 2022. The Recruitment Outsourcing team reengaged with the nonprofit in September 2022 to fill three communications roles, two of which they filled in February 2023. A search for the third continues. However, the organization did not express concern over timelines, but rather to get the right people in the right positions no matter how long it takes. Additionally, management has prioritized new ways of thinking, which includes a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. Engaging Nonprofit HR’s Recruitment Outsourcing team further supports the organization in ensuring they pull DEI through the entire talent acquisition process.
Considerations
Candidates have withdrawn their candidacy at all stages of recruitment. The organization’s salaries are below market for New York City. When candidates review salary ranges, they aim for the higher end of the salary band. When offered the lower end due to pay equity, which, rather, ends up being about “pay equality,” candidates decline to move forward.
The hiring team expressed a strong desire to attract diverse talent. Recruitment for a Principal Policy Associate on the federal policy team has been a challenge because of a niche market of qualified applicants that fall into a very specific demographic pool — almost all middle-aged white women. The hiring team, therefore, needed to be creative to attract diverse talent with the necessary experience to succeed.
The organization’s HR team relies heavily on the firm but, due to a staff shortage, the point of contact can only dedicate limited time to the engagement resulting in communication challenges.
The organization has very poor reviews on Glassdoor, negative remarks on Twitter and recently experienced some bad press, which portrayed the leadership of the team in bad light. Candidates brought up concerns about these published comments in phone screens and interviews.
Placement/Solutions
The organization’s staff members have recently unionized and are negotiating a collective bargaining agreement, which could result in increased wages and improved conditions.
As a result of successfully filling the two Senior Policy Associate positions amidst a short-staffed HR department, the nonprofit decided to engage the firm for further help. The organization retained Nonprofit HR and expanded and evolved the contract to recruit three additional roles in the Communications department plus one higher-level federal policy position. The latest engagement to recruit a Principal Policy Associate role went off to a great start and resulted in a successful final hire on time and within the allocated budget.
The Search team has made adjustments to ensure all client team members are aligned and engagements stay on track. A client contact views Nonprofit HR as a thought partner and appreciates our “excellent” expertise, stating that “we have a great relationship.” As part of the ongoing partnership, Nonprofit HR’s Search Practice Area went on to conduct retained search engagements.